The present invention relates to a control apparatus, a control method, and a program in which, when performing automatic image-recording, the frequency with which image-recording is performed can be changed so that the recording frequency can be suitably changed in accordance with, for example, a user's intention or the state of an imaging apparatus.In the imaging apparatus, the recording frequency can be changed and set in accordance with, for example, a user operation. In accordance with this, a predetermined parameter related to automatic image-recording is changed and set internally, so that an operation reflecting the recording frequency can be obtained as actual automatic image-recording.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A control apparatus comprising: circuitry configured to: perform control so that automatic image-recording for automatically recording, on recording means, image data which has been obtained based on imaging by using an imaging unit, is continuously and repeatedly performed; change and set a recording frequency, which is a frequency of the automatic image-recording performed by the image-recording control means; change and set one or more parameters related to the automatic image-recording based on the set recording frequency; detect a subject which is present in an image based on the image data; decide a composition in accordance with the detected subject; make a determination regarding whether or not the decided composition has continuously been obtained in the image based on the image data for a prescribed time, perform the automatic image-recording as a result of a determination that the decided composition has continuously been obtained for the prescribed time; and change, as a parameter, the prescribed time to be used for the determination.
2. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to: detect a level value of smiling for each detected subject; decide a composition in accordance with a detected subject, elements of the composition to be decided including an element in which the detected level value of smiling is equal to or higher than a threshold; determine whether or not the detected level value of smiling is equal to or higher than the threshold; perform the automatic image-recording as a result of determining that the detected level value of smiling is equal to or higher than the threshold, and change, as a parameter, the threshold to be used for the smiling level determination.
3. The control apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to: repeatedly record, a prescribed number of times, image data representing an image including a subject configuration which is obtained when a subject has been detected; and change, as a parameter, a value of the prescribed number of times.
4. The control apparatus according to claim 3 , the circuitry is further configured to: control driving of a movable mechanism unit that changes an imaging field-of-view range of the imaging unit so that, as a result of recording, the prescribed number of times, the image data representing the image including the subject configuration which is obtained when the subject has been detected, a subject forming a subject configuration which is different from at least a subject configuration when image-recording has previously been performed is detected.
5. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , the circuitry is further configured to: decide a composition in accordance with a detected subject; make a decision for each of predetermined composition forming elements in order to decide the composition; and change, as a parameter, the composition forming elements to be used.
6. The control apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to: make a decision for each of predetermined composition forming elements in order to decide the composition; and change, as a parameter, the composition forming elements to be used.
7. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein he circuitry is further configured to: decide a composition in accordance with a detected subject; determine whether or not the decided composition is obtained in an image based on the image data within a prescribed time; determine whether or not the decided composition has continuously been obtained in the image based on the image data for the prescribed time; perform the automatic image-recording as a result of determining that the decided composition is obtained within the prescribed time or as a result of determining that the decided composition has not continuously been obtained for the prescribed time; and change, as the parameter, the prescribed time to be used.
8. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , the circuitry is further configured to: decide a composition in accordance with a detected subject detected by the subject detection means; determine whether or not the decided composition has been obtained in an image based on the image data; determine whether or not a prescribed time has elapsed when it is determined that the decided composition has been obtained; perform the automatic image-recording when a positive determination result is obtained; and change, as a parameter, the prescribed time to be used for the determination.
9. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , the circuitry is further configured to: perform, as a result of detecting no, subject search control for changing an imaging field-of-view range so that a subject is to be detected; start the subject search control after the lapse of a predetermined wait time after the time when it has been determined that no subject has been detected; and change, as a parameter, the wait time to be used.
10. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to: change and set the recording frequency in accordance with an operation.
11. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to: change and set the recording frequency in accordance with a space of the storage medium.
12. The control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is further configured to: change and set the recording frequency in accordance with whether the control apparatus is battery-driven or commercial-alternating-current power driven.
13. A control method for performing: an image-recording control step of performing control so that automatic image-recording for automatically recording, on recording means, image data which has been obtained based on imaging by using an imaging unit is continuously and repeatedly performed; a recording-frequency setting step of changing and setting a recording frequency, which is a frequency of the automatic image-recording performed by the image-recording control step; a parameter changing/setting step of changing and setting one or more parameters related to the automatic image-recording based on the recording frequency set by the recording-frequency setting step; detecting a subject which is present in an image based on the image data; deciding a composition in accordance with the detected subject; making a determination regarding whether or not the decided composition has continuously been obtained in the image based on the image data for a prescribed time; performing the automatic image-recording as a result of a determination that the decided composition has continuously been obtained for the prescribed time; and changing, as a parameter, the prescribed time to be used for the determination.
14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer readable instructions thereon that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method comprising: an image-recording control step of performing control so that automatic image-recording for automatically recording, on recording means, image data which has been obtained based on imaging by using an imaging unit is continuously and repeatedly performed; a recording-frequency setting step of changing and setting a recording frequency, which is a frequency of the automatic image-recording performed by the image-recording control step; a parameter changing/setting step of changing and setting a parameter related to the automatic image-recording in accordance with the recording frequency set by the recording-frequency setting step; detecting a subject which is present in an image based on the image data; deciding a composition in accordance with the detected subject; making a determination regarding whether or not the decided composition has continuously been obtained in the image based on the image data for a prescribed time; performing the automatic image-recording as a result of a determination that the decided composition has continuously been obtained for the prescribed time; and changing, as a parameter, the prescribed time to be used for the determination.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
July 22, 2010
December 9, 2014
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